Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images Both new and used car purchases were expensive for drivers this year, as limited inventory and high borrowing costs affected affordability. “Interest rates have taken such a toll on purchasing power,” said Ivan Drury, director of insights at Edmunds. Yet, consumers might begin to see lower prices in 2024, … Read more
Rear view of couple traveling through car. Maskot | Maskot | Getty Images A recall on your vehicle can derail your travel plans, depending on the issue at hand. It’s an issue plenty of drivers have to consider this fall. Subaru, Volkswagen, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Honda Motor are among the vehicle manufacturers that … Read more
Tooga | Digitalvision | Getty Images Long delays to get a new U.S. passport have eased from earlier in 2023 but haven’t yet returned to their pre-pandemic baseline. As of Nov. 6, the U.S. State Department is processing routine passport applications in seven to 10 weeks, the agency said. It’s processing expedited applications — which … Read more
The average household is saving thousands of dollars each year on their power bills with rooftop solar and battery storage. Households can save between $822 and $1350 on their power bills if they have rooftop solar and this jumps to between $1322 and $2252 if households have an 8.5kWh battery, government analysis shows. An 8.5 … Read more
Jgi/jamie Grill | Tetra Images | Getty Images The IRS is waiving roughly $1 billion in late-payment penalties for millions of taxpayers with balances under $100,000 from returns filed in 2020 and 2021. Some 4.7 million individual taxpayers, businesses, trusts, estates and nonprofit organizations are eligible for the relief, which amounts to about $206 per … Read more
The Reserve Bank of Australia has resumed hiking interest rates after holding steady for the past four months, piling on financial pressure for mortgage holders. The RBA met on Tuesday and chose to hike the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.35 per cent. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Economists share RBA cash rate predictions … Read more
There is more financial pain on the cards for Australian borrowers, with all four of Australia’s big banks announcing they would lift mortgage rates following the Reserve Bank’s Melbourne Cup day hike. The Reserve Bank delivered a 25 basis point increase to the official cash rate on Tuesday. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: After four months … Read more
More than 700,000 drivers are expected to share in $560 million in cost-of-living relief under a toll-relief scheme. But cars registered with businesses, ride-shares, taxis and heavy vehicles will be ineligible for NSW’s $60 toll cap, which starts on January 1. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Thousands of Sydney drivers to benefit from cap on motorway … Read more
A shopper carries several bags in the Magnificent Mile shopping district of Chicago on Dec. 2, 2023. Taylor Glascock | Bloomberg | Getty Images The U.S. economy has remained remarkably strong but affordability is worse than it has ever been, some social media users say, even when compared to The Great Depression. One of TikTok’s … Read more
Aussie workers who missed out on their proper superannuation entitlements last financial year have now been reimbursed – to the tune of almost $700 million. The “redistribution” comes after the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) tracked down employers who hadn’t paid super properly in the 2022-23 financial year. The ATO collected more than $1.13 billion from … Read more
